The present invention relates generally to forming plates for use in connection with food extrusion, and more particularly, to forming plates for use in providing food extrusion with a defined extrusion shape.
At the present, forming plates used in connection with food extrusion, for example, meat extrusion, are manufactured with holes in a series of straight lines, as shown in FIG. 1, with the holes in each line offset from the holes in the lines adjacent thereto. The formation of holes in offsetting straight lines across the plate permits the manufacturing of such holes, for example, on the Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) drill press, with relative ease. In addition, formation of holes in an offsetting manner avoids the presence of substantially large ligaments (i.e., spacing between holes of adjacent lines), which ligaments are often observed when the holes between adjacent lines are not offset, but are rather linearly aligned. The presence of substantially large ligaments on the surface of the forming plate can lead to an extrusion that may not be tightly pact or sufficiently firm for packaging.
Despite the offsetting pattern of holes, many forming plates are designed with holes in a pattern which usually lead to the formation of rectangularly shaped food extrusion. In addition to the rectangularly shape extrusion, because the length of each line formed by the holes may not be similar, as seen with presently available forming plates, the resulting extrusion can be wave-like in character. Such shape and character, when present in the extrusion, may make it difficult to fit the extrusion into most trays or containers presently used for packaging. Furthermore, it has been noted that consumers often find such shape and character to be undesirable. Instead, consumers have shown preference for extrusions with a fuller, more rounded profile.
To avoid formation of rectangularly or wave-like shaped extrusions, various design changes have been attempted, for example, varying the placement of the holes on the forming plates. Another example includes varying the length of each line by, for example, adding the number of holes therein, as seen in FIG. 1. Despite this variation in the length of certain lines, the extrusion still tend to be flat, and a fuller, more rounded profile may not be achieved.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide forming plates which can provide food extrusions with a fuller, more rounded profile, so as to appeal to consumers, while being tightly pact, such that the extrusion can be easily packaged into presently available trays or containers.
The present invention, in accordance with one embodiment, provides a forming plate for use in food extrusion, including meat extrusion. The plate is substantially circular in shape and includes a plurality of holes formed thereon. The holes, in one embodiment, are arranged in successive arcs beginning at an area adjacent the perimeter of the plate and moving inward towards the center of the plate. The holes in each successive arc are preferably offset from the holes in the adjacent arcs, so as to minimize spacing between holes of adjacent arcs. By minimizing the spacing between the holes, each strand of food stuff extruded through a hole may be permitted to closely engage adjacent extrusion strands, so as to provide a firm and generally tightly packed extrusion. The pattern of offsetting successive arcs may continue toward the center of the plate until the area within which the arcs are placed can no longer support such an offsetting arrangement. In one embodiment, at least two offsetting successive arcs the are provided towards the perimeter of the plate. When the successive arc arrangement towards the center of the plate can no longer be supported, the holes may be arranged in offsetting straight lines.
In an alternate embodiment, the holes may be arranged in a concentric circular arrangement from the perimeter of the plate towards the center of the plate, with the holes in each circular arrangement being offset from the holes in the adjacent circular arrangement. This pattern may continue toward the center of the plate until such area on the plate can no longer support an offsetting circular arrangement. At such point, the holes may be arranged in offsetting straight lines.
A forming plate having the above described offsetting patterns of holes can provide food extruded therethrough with a correspondingly desired shape, for example, a curved or more rounded profile with the successive arc arrangement, or a tubular shape with the concentric circular arrangement. In general, as food stuff is being advanced across the forming plate, the resulting extrusion can be portioned into loaves for packaging in commonly used trays or containers.